Nine recent Detroit Public Schools Community District graduates participated in the Stellantis manufacturing internship program this past summer. The students, including five Southeastern High School 2023 graduates, spent eight weeks at the Mack and Jefferson assembly plants in paid intern roles.

The students were able to gain in-depth, hands-on experience about automotive manufacturing at the Detroit Assembly Complex (DAC) and tour other Stellantis plants during the program, which is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to the local schools, city of Detroit and residents to provide educational opportunities for area students.

During her final presentation to Stellantis executives and employees, Arianna Boston, a 2023 Southeastern graduate, described the internship as “very valuable and exciting.”

“I enjoyed it because it got me out of my comfort zone,” said Boston, who focused on information and communications technology during her internship. “I met some wonderful people. I built some good connections.”

Devin Waugh, a Southeastern grad and current Grand Valley State University student, participated in the internship program for a third time. This summer, he worked in a safety role. He said the visits to other plants and seeing all the different departments and jobs gave him a better understanding of everything needed to run a large manufacturing company like Stellantis.

“It’s hard to run a car company,” Waugh said. He also enjoyed his experience with a career building class that included tips on resume writing, public speaking and networking that was part of the program. “It was very intriguing. I enjoyed every single part of that,” Waugh said.

Jefferson plant manager Sean Woodall said he was “very impressed” by the interns and their presentations. “This is a great program,” Woodall said. “I’m excited about being able to show young people what life in a manufacturing plant is all about, I’ll look forward to seeing what the future holds for these students.”